Coming Home
by Candylovin Fehrian
Summary: Based on the song by Dido. Gage misses someone, is she ever coming home? S&G, what can I say. Just read to find out...
1. Dreams and nightmares

**A/N Sad songfic, just something I had to get out of my system, so sorry if it's too dark, but hey, I got rid of it ;-) _Song by Dido, "Coming home" _**

**If you like it, please review, maybe I'll continue… (and it won't be so angsty, I promise! I already have an idea in my mind, maybe Syd isn't as 'gone' as Gage thinks she is!)**

_He feels her smile when he's afraid --  
it reminds him of his life before she went away  
He might crumble, but he'll not fall  
if the memory of his only love can stay that way _

Wiping the slowly falling tears from his face, Francis Gage turned of the shower and stepped out. Looking back at the new hole in the wall, he felt a little relieved. That's probably why he had so many fights lately...

Standing in front of the foggy mirror, he suddenly thought he saw her softly smiling face. But after wiping the dampness out of the way, he only saw his own hollow eyes and greyish features. Even he could see he looked like hell. After letting out a deep sigh he started to get ready for work. 'Work…' It wasn't the same without her. Three months and two days had gone by since he had last seen her, walking out their front door, waving goodbye to him. If only he hadn't been on leave that day, if only he had been there to protect her, if only…

He didn't even have to try, the memory of that day was just underneath the surface, waiting for him to go to sleep so it could haunt him in his dreams. But although he hated those dreams, they also were a blessing. It was the only way to see her again, to touch her, to love her. Only in his dreams…

In his dreams, they were happy. There were kids, one boy and one girl. There were dreams were they would go out and have fun, there were also dreams were they spent all day in bed, while the kids were at Walkers. And he could feel their love, like it was a fragile object you could hold in the palm of your hand, where it shone so brightly that it warmed everyone's hearts.

But there were other dreams. Dreams were he saw everything happening again. Dreams were she was falling, she was falling and he couldn't get to her. She was reaching towards him, but he was frozen. The blood on her shirt was always there, the stain spreading more and more every time the dream came. And while she was slowly falling, there was another sound. At first he didn't know who it belonged to. But after a while the sound became stronger and he recognized it as a crying baby. Usually that was the moment when he awoke with a scream dying from his lips. ´The baby…

_Still has his dreams, they will get him through  
till his life means something more than to lose  
Cause he's still wondering when she's coming home  
and he'll tell her what he's done today  
He doesn't want to lose this memory  
of the only part of life to him that's safe _

That night, after coming home from another day of forcing smiles and acting normal, he plopped down on the couch and opened the first of, what would probably be, many beers. He had found that to be the only way to sleep well at night. Sipping on his first one, he started talking:

"So, Alex told us the news today. You probably already knew, but she is pregnant again. Told me she wanted to name the baby after you if it is going to be a girl. I actually managed to crack a smile at that one… Think about it, another Sydney on this world. Walker and Alex don't even know what they are getting themselves in to."

He chuckled at that, the laugh slowly becoming a sob.

"You know, if I listen hard enough, I actually hear the key turning in the door. And I can almost see you coming in.

By the way, Trivette caught that drug dealer I told you about last night. Yeah, got himself knocked on the head too. Walker and I made fun of that all day. You should have been there Shorty, you would have cracked one or two yourself."

Opening his third beer, he sighed deeply. Rubbing his sore knuckles, he continued:

"I got into a fight today, again. I know what you are going to say and I'm sorry. I really am, but you should have heard what the guy said. Remember the dirty cop we busted about a year ago? He got out last week and well, let's just say he learned a lot from prison…So I had to arrest him again. That was fairly easy. God Syd, even Trivette with his 'bump from hell' could have done it with his eyes closed. But I freaked. I took him down and almost had him in cuffs, when he started talking. You know I have a tough skin, but the things he said… They were about you. How he was the one that took care of you, how I failed you. And Syd, I know that, but he had no right… So I started pounding and I couldn't stop. I tried Syd, I really tried, but I couldn't stop. All I could see was your body, bloody and still laying on the asphalt. It took both Walker and Trivette to get me off of him. I hadn't even noticed them. But they were there.

And then Alex came up and took me inside. She told me I could always come to her. But I can't. You know I can't. She'll tell me to let go, she'll say I shouldn't talk to you like this. And she will want me to move out of our house or clean out your stuff-"

He groaned a little, looking at the pictures of her and the two of them standing on the dresser and her shoes which were still lying under the table. Opening another beer, he stood up from the couch and walked over to the pictures on the dresser.

Picking up the most recent one, he took one big gulp of beer. They looked happy, it was taken the day he had proposed to her, and the day they had found out about their newly arrival. Gage's arm was tightly wrapped around her waist, and her smaller hand was resting on his shoulder while the other one was on her stomach.

With shaking hands he softly caressed her image, wishing he was touching her for real. A sudden wave of anger coursed through him as he put down the picture.

How could she leave him!

She knew he wouldn't make it alone!

The sudden burst of the glass bottle against the wall shook the apartment. A strong smell of beer invaded his nostrils as his shoulders started heaving from the large amount of rage still invading his body.

His head shot up when he heard someone at his door. It sounded like… Yeah, it sounded like a key turning in a lock. His eyes filled with hope, already envisioning how she would walk in, like she had never been gone, with a smile on her face and her belly sticking out.

His features dropped when he saw who really came through his front door.

_Still hears her key turn in the door,  
disappointment running through him  
She's not coming anymore  
He sees his friends, turns on that charm  
but his heart's not in it, doesn't want to move on _

Alex saw the excitement, before it left his eyes and was replaced by sadness and grief. She felt a hot stab of pain going through her heart. He looked awful, the stench of beer filled her nose before she even entered the apartment. He wasn't the same Francis Gage anymore. It was like his soul had been sucked out and what was left, was just a shell of a man. She saw how he put up his wall and the grief she had seen for a second was replaced by a smile which never reached his eyes.

"Oh, hi Alex, ehh, what's up?" he asked, his voice still a bit shaky.

"I came to see how you were doing, after what happened today…" Alex replied, uncertain if she had done the right thing. Seeing how his brow furrowed, she realized he wasn't about to open up to her. She decided to just start talking.

"Gage, I know you miss her, I miss her too. And I know I can't even comprehend what you are feeling. But I know how I would feel if Walker would ever…" she faltered a little bit, shivering at the thought of losing her beloved husband.

"I know Alex, and I'm fine, I really am," he said, although even he could hear the lie seeping through his teeth. But he just couldn't do it. He didn't want the sympathy, he only wanted her back.

"Maybe you should go home, I was just going to clean this mess up, those slippery bottles always glide through my fingers."

Turning her eyes to his hands, Alex gasped a little, "Gage your hands! Did you get them that bruised from this afternoon?"

She couldn't believe it. One of her truest friends was slowly killing himself and he was in denial. She didn't believe his lies, but knew that if he didn't want to be helped, she was out of line if she did it anyway. Deciding to talk to Walker about their fellow ranger she turned back towards the door.

"Okay, I'll leave you to it then. See you tomorrow right?" she ended, turning a hopeful look his way.

"Yeah sure, I'll be there, do you need me to bring anything?" he asked, eyes fixed on a point behind her.

"Nah, just a good mood," she joked, almost immediately realising her bad timing.

Gage managed a painful looking grin when he showed her to the door. "I'll try," was the best he could do.

After closing the door behind her he leaned against it, slowly sagging to the floor. He rubbed his hands over his tiresome face, accidentally taking some tears with it.

"Oh Syd, they wouldn't even let me see you. I saw you fall, I saw you bleed, and I know you're gone. But how can I say goodbye to you if I haven't even seen you body. All I saw was your casket, being lowered in the cold-"

And then and there he broke, huge sobs wrecking his tired body, his shoulders shaking with the force of his grief. He sat there for a good part of the night, until he had no more tears left to cry. Slowly standing up, feeling dizzy as he had no more strength left in his body, he made his way to their, no his, bedroom, and fell down on the bed praying for a dreamless sleep. But also hoping for dreams of happiness with her…

_ He has his dreams, they will get him through  
till his life means something more than to lose  
Cause he's still wondering when she's coming home  
and he'll tell her what he's done today  
He doesn't want to lose this memory  
of the only part of life to him that's safe _

He was searching the crowd, looking for her familiar face. There it was, a huge smile framing her features, and it was aimed at him. Suddenly it was like all the people were making room for them. He saw a small baby, safely tucked in her arms. And together they came towards him. The sun was warming on his skin and he felt a smile tugging at his lips. His family, they would never leave each other. The moment she crossed the street and was just a few feet away, the sky darkened. The colours turned greyer, and the smile on her face faded. It was replaced by a look of fear. Grabbing the child close to her she swiftly looked around, already reaching for her gun. Gage tried to scream, or run to her, but he wasn't able to. His feet were like stone, lodged on the pavement. And his voice wasn't working, although he tried to scream at the top of his lungs. The only thing he could do is plead with his eyes and watch how the scene unfolded. When Syd almost had her gun ready a man hurriedly crossed the street. Only one shot was heard, but the man was still standing there, like he was admiring his work. Then he slowly turned around, pointed his finger at Gage and said, "You'll never have her again, no matter how hard you try."

Then he just disappeared and Gage turned his attention back on his bleeding wife. Still not able to move, he could only watch as she slowly fell to the floor. The child had disappeared, and her front was red from all the blood. Her eyes held the greatest amount of fear and pain he had ever seen. It was like she was begging him to help her. And he couldn't, it was slowly killing him.

And then he heard it again, the small cry, growing louder every minute. As the life drained from his fiancé, the crying became louder. It became so loud, it was all he could hear. It filled the world and as Gage turned away from the still form he saw the walls of the buildings starting to bleed. And at that moment he let out a grief filled scream which tore from his chest as he shot up in bed, sweat and tears mingling on his face…

_He's missing out on life  
because he doesn't know how long to keep her in his mind  
His life's been hers too long  
and now he's picking up the pieces  
just to stay alive _

At 5.00 in the morning Gage was pacing his apartment, he had already had large amounts of coffee, trying to keep him from sleeping. Dark circles were visible underneath his eyes, but he didn't care. As long as he didn't go to sleep, the dream wouldn't haunt him. Looking out the window he contemplated the distance from his window to the curve. He stood there for a few minutes, and suddenly turned away, disgusted with himself. How could he think about something like that. It would be a form of betrayal.

So instead of ending the pain by taking his fate in his own hands, he picked up his gun, put it in his holster and went to Ranger Headquarters, hoping Walker had some sort of dangerous assignment for him. Knowing he would be coming home tonight to an empty apartment, were he would talk to her as if she was there.

Giving her picture one last look, he put on his jacket and, ignoring the small tingling sensation, left for another day of picking up the pieces…

_And he's still wondering when she's coming home  
and he'll tell her what he's done today  
He doesn't want to lose this memory  
of the only part of life to him that's safe _

She ran, until she didn't have any breath left. Her protruding belly was bothering her, but she had to go on. Looking behind her she didn't see him anymore so she slipped into a quiet ally. Putting her hand in her pocket, she slipped out a worn and greasy picture. A silent tear slipped down her cheek when she saw the happy faces smiling at the camera.

Hearing a small noise, she hurriedly put it back into place and started running again. She felt desperation sinking into her skin as the sound came closer. Would she ever be able to come home again?

**Dum dum dum… So? Should I continue?**


	2. Lost

**A/N Soooo, here it is. I just had to make it up to you all for the sad tone of the first part. And I promiss, just like my other stories, it will get a happy ending. Enjoy!**

_Lost within himself_

_Overwhelmed with tears_

_She had left his side_

_Till he had faced his fears_

The day was slowly dragging by. From his office Walker had been watching his fellow Rangers for a couple of minutes. Trivette seemed to be doing fine. A large bruise was the only reminder of his run in with a suspects fist. Looking over at the other side, the empty desk drew his attention. Suddenly he had an empty feeling in his chest. First CD, then Sydney, who would be next? The entire office hadn't been the same after Sydney's death. And obviously, Gage had taken it the hardest.

Last night Alex had entered their ranch in tears. He knew she had been trying to help Gage open up and had went by his apartment to see how he was doing after the fight yesterday. The place had looked awful, and Gage had obviously been drinking. But although the signs said one thing, Gage had denied everything, and acted like nothing was wrong. Knowing Alex, he figured she wanted to help so badly, but if Gage didn't want to be helped…

Turning his wandering eyes on the other desk, he saw what Alex had seen. A man who wasn't really here, with dark circles under his eyes and a stubble on his cheek. He had lost lots of weight in the last couple of months, and was just looking awful. And his eyes… They were empty and full of pain. Although a forced smile was always on his face, everyone could see he was not coping.

Just then, the vacant look left his eyes and he stiffly got up. Walker, who didn't want him to do many assignments on the street, quickly got up and stopped him.

"Where are you going Gage? You still have your deskwork right?"

"Yeah," Gage replied, "But I have an appointment with one of my contacts. He might know something about the shooting Walker."

Walker took a deep breath, wondering when he would let it go. They had found the man who had shot Sydney and he was behind bars, but Gage didn't believe he was the one.

"Gage, we caught him, remember?"

"You think you got him, but things don't add up Walker, the prints were the same, but the bullet didn't match, remember?" he ended, sounding a little sarcastic.

"He confessed, and he told us he had changed the bullets before we found him. Gage you have to let it rest…"

Gage just shook his head and turned to leave, muttering, " I can't Walker, I just can't, not until I kill him, like he killed us."

Walker let him walk, knowing he would come home empty handed, but still worried that maybe something would happen to him.

_On the streets in Dallas_

"What have you got for me cowboy?" a gruff sounding voice came from a darkened place inside the ally.

Gage turned towards the sound, holding out a hand full of cash.

"Here, and what have you got for me, Kyle?"

"Jeez buddy, not so fast, got to count it first… Okay, this'll be enough for your information."

Grabbing Kyle's collar, Gage growled, "Tell me, what do you know?"

"Easy does it pal, word on the street is, there's a new player in town. Real though guy, goes by the name of Pete Langley," he paused, seeing Gage's face pale, even paler than he was before. The shock in his eyes was hidden after a second, but he had seen it there.

" You know him?"

Gage cleared his throat before responding, "Yeah, I knew him once, but that was a long time ago."

"Well, they say he's been out for revenge, getting back on the ones who got him in jail. You wouldn't know who that would be, do you?" Kyle said, a smirk playing on his lips. He knew Gage would be the one Pete was after. Why else would he go after the rangers fiancé?

Gage swallowed. So it had been his fault! Without another word he turned around, leaving the weasel with his cash.

"Wait up, ranger boy, you don't want to hear more?"

That stopped him dead in his tracks, and he turned around, facing Kyle again, "Tell me…"

"So, he's out for revenge, and already killed someone. Also kidnapped a girl, and if what I heard was right, he is planning on kidnapping someone else. Know anyone who could be on his list?"

With hands clenched by his sides, Gage turned around and left without a word.

Kyle yelled after him, "Your welcome!"

Snickering, he though about the path of destruction which lay ahead of that stupid ranger, before turning around and disappearing in the dark corners of the ally.

Gage just kept on walking, he didn't see the cars that narrowly missed him, he didn't see the strange looks people were giving the wandering ranger. All he could see was the face of the man who changed his life. Pete Langley… He never thought he would see or hear from him again. Not after the testimony he had given when he was only 16 years old. He had sat in the interrogation room, one arm in cast, the other heavily bandaged after his last punishment from that man. Pete had been the leader of the so called Foster home. But it was nothing ore than a prison. The kids had to work for their food, and if they disobeyed… Gage involuntarily shivered. He still had some of the scars from those times. Shaking his head, trying to get rid of those memories, he entered the first bar he saw.

Ordering a soda, he knew better than to drink in work time, he took a sip and leaned back. If only Syd had been here. She knew his past, she knew he still had nightmares about it and she knew how to comfort him.

So, Pete was back. And he was probably the one who had murdered his fiancé… And he was also planning a kidnapping, but who would he take? After Syd… There was no one in this world who could mean more to him than Sydney Cooke.

At that moment he made up his mind. If he found Pete Langley, Pete would wish he was never born. Forget testimonies, he would beat him to an inch of his life. And when the lowlife begs for him to stop, he would finish him off. So he could forget everything about the man.

Bowing his head as low as he could he took a few deep breaths. 'Calm down Gage, you are no good to anyone in the state you're in.'

Looking out the window he saw a flash of something familiar flying around a corner at the far end of the street. He was up in a flash, immediately regretting it, cause a wave of dizziness fell over him, reminding him that he hadn't eaten in days.

Ignoring it he flew out the diner, stumbling a little when the hot midday sun shown down on him. He took of on a run towards the corner were he had seen it.

Gasping for air he reached the corner where he grabbed on to the nearest wall to support his numb legs. His head shot up when he saw a flash of dark hair going over a fence at the end of the tiny street. Forgetting about his tiredness, he started the pursuit. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw another person, but he was covered with a dark jacket and a baseball cap.

When he reached the fence, he tried to jump over it, but the sudden movement caused him to loose contact with his legs. So he smashed in a not so elegant way on the pavement, twisting his leg while landing on his face, busting open his lip and scraping his face. When he looked up the shadowy man was gone, but he saw the dark hair. And when it turned the corner, the face was slightly turned to him. His eyes widened, and after blinking it was gone. But it had- It had been- Her…

Trying to stand up turned out to be too much and he fell down on the hard floor.

A person passing him saw the state he was in and after trying to get him to talk, but getting no response, decided to take him to the nearest hospital.

Gage saw the man and knew he was talking to him, but all he could mumble was: "It was her, I saw her. She's alive…"


	3. Reality

_St Matthews Hospital_

"Mr. Walker?" the nurse asked the tired looking Ranger.

"Yeah, I'm looking for Ranger Francis Gage, I got a phone call he had been taken here?"

"Yes sir, he's in examination room 3, they had to stitch him up a little, but he'll be fine," she finished, but looked like she wanted to say something else.

"Is there something wrong?" Walker asked, getting worried, it sounded like he was fine…

"Well, I was wondering, he kept talking about some Sydney. I thought she would come and pick him up," she nervously replied.

Walkers expression faltered. He sighed and turned wary eyes towards the examination room. "No, she won't be coming here. Sydney Cooke passed away 3 months ago," he added softly.

The nurse looked embarrassed. "I'm so sorry. It's just… The way he was talking, that she came back or something, I just thought she would come and… I'm sorry." And with that she turned around and left.

Walker sighed. When would this end? Shaking his head he walked in to room 3, finding a very agitated Ranger…

Gage had been taken to the hospital by the kind stranger, but he hadn't noticed this until they started poking and prodding him. At first he was still to overwhelmed with the knowledge that he had seen her and that she was alive. But after a while he knew he had to find her so she would be safe. But those stupid doctors wouldn't let him go by himself. So he had them call Walker, so he could come and pick him up, and Walker had to help him find Sydney.

Sitting up he flinched at the pain in his leg. It wasn't broken, just twisted, but it hurt like hell! He felt his stomach growling as on of the nurses turned around at the sound of it.

"Mister, I don't care what you say, but I'm getting you something to eat, you look like you haven't eaten in days," she said while turning to leave the room.

But Gage shook his head, before replying, "No thanks, I already told you, I'm in a hurry."

"It wasn't a request, you will eat Ranger," she said, and left the room in search for food.

At that moment Walker came in. Looking at Gage he had expected to see the same man he had seen this morning. But after carefully observing him, he saw the cuts and bruises on his face, but there was something in his eyes. It looked like… Life. And behind it there was a little hope.

Preparing himself for the story he stepped closer to Gage and waited for him to start talking. He didn't have to wait long.

"She's alive," Gage stated, deciding to just tell the older Ranger.

Walker's eye widened a bit before becoming dull again, "Gage, I know you've been through a lot, but you have to be realistic here. She's gone, I saw her, you saw her too. We buried her." Walker ended, hoping this approach would reach his friend. But it didn't, Gage was vigorously shaking his head.

"Walker, you don't understand, I _saw_ her. She was there, and I followed her, but she was too fast, and she climbed that fence, but I was dizzy so I fell over it. And there was someone else. He had a baseball cap on and he was following her, but she turned a little and I saw her Walker, I really saw her!" he ended, a little out of breath from talking so much.

Walker just let him ramble, thinking that if he got it off his chest, he would hear himself and realise how he sounded. Knowing how Gage had neglected himself the past couple of months, it was possible he had just hallucinated the whole thing. However, Walker did get a nagging feeling deep inside. But he decided it was just because Gage sounded so believable.

Putting a hand on Gage's shoulder he managed to calm down the agitated ranger. "Gage, I believe you think you saw her, but if you would just think about it, it's not possible."

Gage listened intently to the elder Ranger, but he shook his head, shaking off the doubts which were beginning to take over his mind.

But Walker continued, "We were there when she crossed the street, you saw the gun before it went of remember?"

Gage swallowed hard, the memories of that day consuming him. If he closed his eyes now he knew he would be back in that small café, watching an unknown figure shooting his beloved fiancé.

Walker saw what he was causing, but he knew he had to continue, "You yelled at her and she looked up, and the moment you got up to run to her, the gun already went off. We all saw it Gage, how she fell, how those men from the special force kept you from running to her. While you were screaming at them to let you go, we saw them take her away, a body bag covering her body…" Walker ended with a voice so soft he wondered if Gage heard it. Looking over at him he knew he had heard every single word he had said.

Gage looked like she had died all over again, the hope that had rested in his eyes was now nothing but a fraction of what it had been, tears filling the icy blue orbs. Ashamed of his reaction, Gage turned his eyes downwards, praying Walker was finished.

But he wasn't, "Gage, we all see that you are not coping. Your house is a mess, you drink more than you should and you look like you haven't eaten or slept in days. And I really believe you when you say you think you saw her, but you know as well as I do that it wasn't her," Walker sighed, deciding to share some of his own painful memories with Gage, "You know my first wife was killed, right?"

Gage nodded, still keeping his eyes on the ground.

"Well, exactly two months after her death I had to arrest a well known drug dealer, and he knew how to get to me, talking about my wife and all. Anyways, after that I needed some time alone, so I went to her grave. When I looked up, I thought I saw her, disappearing behind a tree. I went after her, calling her name, and when I thought I caught up to her and turned her around, it wasn't her… I was so devastated after that, it felt like she had died all over again. So you see, I know what you are going through, I've been there," he finished, coughing a little to hide the large lump forming in his throat.

After what seemed like forever, Gage looked up, tear tracks covering his cheeks, while new ones made their way from his overflowing eyes. With an almost desperate tone in his voice he asked the question he knew he had to ask, "She uhh, she's not coming back is she?"

Walker sadly shook his head, grabbing the shaking hands of the young Ranger in his older ones. No words were said, no words were needed, while Gage was mourning his deceased fiancé all over again…

_The other side of town_

'I can't believe I saw him,' was the only thought present in her mind right now. She had only seen him for a second, but the moment she saw the pain filled eyes she almost collapsed. He couldn't see her! If he would, he would be in danger too. She had heard him fall over the fence, and although she shouldn't have looked back, she hadn't been able to stop herself. So she had turned her head just a little, but the moment their eyes met, she knew he had seen her too. He had looked defeated, but his eyes had lightened up the moment theirs met. She felt so bad for not being able to contact him to tell him she was alive, but it was for his own safety.

She knew all about Pete Langley, how he wanted revenge for being put in jail by his foster kids and how he had wanted to use her for that revenge. And even though Gage was in pain now, he was alive, and that was the most important thing in the world. She just hoped this whole thing would be over before the baby was due. Her child had the right to know its father.

A loud clanging sound brought her back to the present and she turned around to run to the place where she knew she would be safe, at least for now…


	4. Her story

_The love she feels_

_is not enough_

_to keep him from his fate_

_She left his life_

_to keep him safe_

_but now it is too late_

"He has to know James. Langley will get to him and you know it," Sydney said, her voice raised towards the elder FBI agent. For a moment everything was silent, and then Syd felt like she had been punched in the stomach.

"But that's what you want isn't it?"

The face of James Valenti didn't even twitch at the angry voice of the petite woman in front of him. It was like he was made out of stone. So Syd continued her rant, "How dare you? I risk my life to keep him safe, I get shot at, I can't even tell the man I love that I'm still alive. And now you tell me that you are using him to lure Pete Langley? I can't believe it…" She sighed deeply, willing the pain in her back to go away. Looking up to the agent who helped her after the shooting, with hurt in her now dark brown eyes she waited for him to react. And finally, after what seemed like forever, he turned sympathetic eyes towards her.

"Sydney, I know how you feel about this, but would you just think about it for a moment. If we don't get to Langley first, you'll never be safe again. So the most logic thing to do is, wait until he strikes again and when he does, we'll be ready for him. You have to think with your head now, and not with your heart."

Sydney managed to nod a little. And although she didn't agree with his methods, she knew she wouldn't be able to do anything about it. Suddenly, a deep feeling of despair threatened to overwhelm her, and after telling James she needed some time alone, she laid down on the guest bed in the house.

After positioning herself in a comfortable position, which was hard to do in her very pregnant state, she let the emotions overwhelm here for a while. She felt terribly guilty about not being able to tell Gage, and after seeing him this morning, she felt even worse.

Her thoughts drifted back to that faithful afternoon. She had been on duty, while Gage had a day off. But they had decided to come together at a small diner with Walker and Alex. Sydney had already seen them, sitting outside in the warm afternoon sun. But before she could wave, a flash on the other side of the sidewalk caught her eye. A man with dark clothes and a baseball cap was suspiciously making his way towards her, a small gun clasped in his right hand. But, what the others had failed to notice, was something she dìd see. Behind the man, there was some other activity. As fast as she had seen them, they were already gone, her attention rapidly turning back to the man with the weapon, but not before hurriedly casting a worried glance at her fiancé and their friends. After that everything happened so fast, she didn't even remember it completely. Before she had been able to reach for her gun, another had already gone off. A searing pane filled her left shoulder, and while a tortured scream filled her ears, her whole world turned black.

The moment she woke up, she had the distinct feeling something was wrong. On of her hands had immediately searched for her slightly rounded stomach. A sigh of relief had escaped her, when she found it in place. At that moment, FBI agent Valenti had made himself known. And he had decided to tell her the whole gruesome truth… How the Special Force team had been unable to stop what had happened. But that they did have a plan. How they had put her in a body bag, letting it look like she was dead. How they even made her fiancé believe she was dead, and that they needed to keep it that way.

Sydney had been listening intently to the older agent. However, after he told her about her so-called death, she couldn't hold it in anymore. And she expressed it the only way she could, by getting angry… She had called the men who came up with ´the plan names she never thought would leave her mouth. And after her little rant, she cried. She cried for her own death and the pain her friends must be going through. And Gage, god Gage. How could she do this to him?

The next three months had gone by in a hurry. Between recovering from her bullet wound and hiding from the wrong people, she had sunken in a deep depression. The only thing keeping her upright was their child. Every now and then she felt the movement inside of her and small sparks of joy filled her darkened mind. She stayed with James Valenti, counting the days until they caught the bastard that changed her and Gage's life forever. Up until two weeks ago she had filled her days with watching TV and reading the papers. That is, until Pete Langley had found out she was alive…

It had happened 13 days ago, and it was the beginning of two weeks of running. One day Syd had been staying with Valenti, the other she was fleeing from his place, hiding on the streets.

The whole thing had blew up in her face when she was sitting in the living room, watching TV. A small sound at the backdoor had made her turn the thing off, while she turned her attention on the not so familiar sound.

The following second everything happened so fast she reacted completely on instinct. The backdoor exploded in a million pieces, while two men made their way through it. And although her belly was in her way, Syd managed to swiftly kick them out, before fleeing from the house. Overwhelmed with a need to keep her child safe, she ran. She ran until she was out of breath, and even then she kept running. Not knowing who she could trust, she lived in shady motel rooms, waiting for a chance to speak with Valenti. He had been unreachable for 12 days. So for 12 whole days she had been running. She stayed on the outskirts of town, hiding from her family, but most of all, hiding from the men who were after her. Some days, she had the distinct feeling they were following her, and she managed to mislead them by taking them on a crazy tour through town.

On the 11th day, she finally found a way to contact James Valenti. He had filled her in on what had happened that faithful day at his house. Apparently, there had been a mole in the Special Task Force team. And because they didn't know who it was, Valenti was the only one she could be in contact with. Relieved that there was someone she could turn to, she left her motel room, and headed to the special safe house they had found. But on the way there, she had gotten the nagging feeling again. Someone was following her…

She had come close to the busy Mainstreet, but the only thought on her mind was, losing the one who was following her. And that was the moment she had seen him. The one person she would love the rest of her life, the one she had promised to keep safe. It had only been a glimpse, but she had recognized him and she was almost certain he had seen her too.

Turning on her comfortable bed, she sighed deeply. She missed him so much her heart ached for him. Every time the baby kicked her, it left her with a lot of love inside, but the hollow feeling stayed.

After hearing what Valenti was up to, she had also come to the conclusion that it could be over soon. Over. The word left a bitter taste in her mouth. It could be over soon, but at what cost? Would she and Gage still be standing? And most important, would he forgive her? Saying a little prayer on their behalf, she turned one last time, before falling in a restless sleep.

_Meanwhile_

"Pete, you up?" a tough voice called through the warehouse. "I got you some news man. I just happen to know where that pregnant chick is hiding. Heard you were looking for her? By the way, I even saw that stupid Ranger today. He the one you're after?"

An older man, scars covering his face, came out of a small bedroom after those words.

"You spoke with him? What did you say, little rat?" the voice boomed through the empty hall.

Suddenly nervous, Kyle replied, "Ehh, yes sir. You told me to come to you when I saw him. So here I am."

"What did you tell him?"

"What you told me to tell him. He knows you will kidnap someone he knows. Just not that it will be his supposedly dead wife…" he said, snickering over the little plan he had helped create.

"And you said you found her too?" the icily cold man asked.

"Yes sir, our man at the FBI found out where her safe house is. So getting to her will be no problem."

Pete Langley found a smile on his face for the first time in years. His revenge was finally there, and he couldn't help being proud of himself. He could live with the fact that the pregnant fiancé didn't die the first time. But seeing his old foster son in so much pain had felt like being in heaven. The boy had always been nothing but trouble, he had deserved the beatings, every single time. But most important of all, he was the one that caused his downfall by testifying against him, so now _he _deserved to die… But not after suffering, a lot.

So now he was back. And he had found a way to make Francis Gage pay. Not only had he made him grieve over his dead fiancé, he would make him grieve all over again, before killing him off himself.

He would have his revenge, and he would have it soon, very soon…


	5. Accepting it

_**A/N After a looooong hiatus, I'm trying to pick this story up again. Ever since Walker ended, I somehow couldn't find the inspiration for the rest of this story. But right now, I'm hoping to finish my "hiatus" stories, and this is one of them. While writing this chapter, I immediately fell into the story again, and lots of ideas for oncoming chapters are being formed right now!  
Well, I'll stop jammering now and let you get on with the story. Again, my sincere apologies for the delay in this story!**_

5

The door closed behind him, a resounding thud echoing through his fuzzy brain. Walker had dropped him off, telling him to get some sleep before coming to the get together at the ranch.

Gage sighed. Everything Walker had said made sense. Wanting to see someone so bad, you imagine them being there. But when he thought back…

It had looked so real. She had looked so real. Scared… Hopeful and tired. All those emotions had reached him the moment he laid eyes on her.

Had it really been someone else? But why did she run? And who was following her?

Sitting down on the worn couch, Gage realized that even if it hadn't been Sydney, some other woman was in trouble. And tomorrow he was going to get to the bottom of it. Right now he felt so tired he couldn't even make his way to the bedroom. And even if he could, he didn't want to be there now. Everything in there reminded him of his loss.

Laying down on the comfortable couch, he winced at pain tormenting his leg, somehow relishing it, knowing he was still able to feel.

The days events however, had left him exhausted and for the first time in three months, Francis Gage fell into a dreamless sleep.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

A door opened slowly, flooding the little room with light. Yet, the person sleeping there did not wake. The figure entering was dressed in black, gloves around large hands holding a gun.

The person lying on the couch tuned around, a weathered face coming into view.

The gun was raised…

A muffled shot penetrated the person, eliciting a slight gasp before the body became still.

Silence covered the room like a heavy blanket while the gunman made his way to the room in the back. The room where she would be…

Sticking his gun in his belt, the man produced a vile and a cloth. Drenching the cloth with the substance, Kyle Harding grinned at the prospect of his reward.

Taking out that FBI fellow was easy. Now all he had to do was get the woman and take her back to Langley.

Glancing through the slightly opened door he could see her beautifully shaped form lying on the small cot. Too bad she was pregnant. He could have had some fun with her… Shaking his head he concentrated on his job. Get the girl and take her to the shack Pete had set up.

Ignoring the small creak the door made, Kyle made his way to the cot, admiring the sleeping beauty lying before him. As he crouched his hand gently ran over her hair, making her turn towards his hand.

"Ow, Gage…" she whispered, causing Kyle to stroke her soft cheek. He knew he should act fast, but he wanted this moment to last just a while longer…

At that moment however, Sydney's mind told her where she was and why she was there. Her eyes flew open as panic filled her head.

Kyle was faster though, and he quickly put the drenched cloth over Sydney's mouth, holding her struggling body tightly against his excited body.

"Ow yes, you wriggle hot little momma, only feels better to me…" he whispered in her ear, but was followed with a moan of pain as Sydney's leg connected with his groin.

Soon Sydney's struggles became less as she gave in to the drug induced sleep, praying Gage would be alright…

Hoisting the pregnant woman over his shoulder unceremoniously, Kyle grumbled about women being bitches while carrying her off into the night.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Darkness surrounded him, the air around him heavy with silence, yet something had woken him from his deep sleep.

Gage rubbed his eyes sleepily, stopping suddenly when the softest sound reached his ears. His every nerve felt on edge as his body tensed on the old couch.

Reaching for his gun which had been hidden underneath the couch, Gage lit the lamp next to him. His eyes scanned the room for anything unusual, not loosing their focus until he was completely sure there wasn't anybody there.

After checking the kitchen and bedroom, he was sure there wasn't anybody there. He closed the window, blocking out the small noises coming from the street and the gusts of wind which had been playing with the curtains.

The clock in the living room announced that it was 10 o'clock and all of a sudden Gage's thoughts flashed to a get together he was supposed to be.

"Oh no… Alex' dinner…" Gage groaned. He was late, and knowing Alex and Walker they were probably on their way down to check if he was alright…

Rubbing his weary eyes he put away the gun, turning to the bedroom to get changed and wash up.

Fifteen minutes later a clean and awakened Francis Gage stepped out of the shower, sorrow still radiating off of him, but the calmness which had covered him like a blanket since the talk with Walker gave him the strength to go on.

Wiping the steam from the mirror, Gage focused on the stubble on his face, knowing how Sydney always hated the rough feel of it. He was about to reach for his razor when movement behind him drew his attention.

Sighing softly he turned around, expecting Walker or Alex to be waiting for him. He quickly put on his jeans as he made his way to the living room.

"Walker…"

The words were never finished as a heavy tire iron came down from nowhere, hitting Gage on the head with blunt force.

The only thing Gage noticed before blacking out were the eyes of the person knocking him out. They portrayed so much hatred, so much coldness, the final thoughts of Gage's awareness were filled with only one person.

Pete Langley…


End file.
